Gardening By the Book: The Book of Little Hostas

Gardening By the Book: The Book of Little Hostas

Bugged by mosquitoes in the garden?

Mosquito-repelling substances are found in such plants as Yarrow, Thyme, Monarda, Summer Savoury, Rosemary, Bay and Mint. Plant them near your patio for carefree summer evenings.

As if we had to tell you about the weather -

New temperature readings released by NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies show 2010 now ranks as the hottest climate year on record.

Many scientists use the climate year, which runs from December of the preceding year to November of the current year, to evaluate long-term climate trends. The combined land-ocean temperature readings NASA's Goddard Institute posted Friday indicate that 2010 has surpassed what it identified as the previous warmest climate year, 2005.

The findings are significant, according to experts, and barring some temperature anomaly in December, should place 2010 as the warmest year on record overall. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which has identified 1998 as the warmest year on record with 2005 close behind, will release its climate year readings next week.

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Add sand to loosen heavy, clay soil?

The worst remedy for a clay soil is to add sand. This practice turns the clay soil into a rock-hard, mortarlike substance. Instead, use organic matter, like compost, to loosen heavy soils because it is light in composition and also improves nutrient quality. Sand can improve a clay soil, but it must be added until it constitutes most of the mineral composition of the soil. At that point, it’s not really clay soil any longer; it is sandy soil.